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APPROVE MOTION TO EXECUTE A FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH GARY LEE, CANINE TRAINER FOR PROFESSIONAL CANINE TRAINING SERVICES IN AN ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $28,800 AND A NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $144,000
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion to:
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute a five-year Agreement between the City of Stockton and Gary Lee, Canine Trainer for Professional Canine Training services not to exceed $144,000.
2. It is further recommended that the City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to make any and all expenditures and appropriations on behalf of the City as appropriate and necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of this motion.
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Summary
The Police Department’s Canine Program is a vital component of maintaining public safety within the City of Stockton. Proper training, assessment, and annual certification of canines are critical to continued program success. The City has contracted these services with Gary Lee since 2003. The current contract with Gary Lee expires on August 31, 2018. On March 14, 2018, the City Manager authorized the use of a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to evaluate all potential vendors for a new contract. One response was received and, after reviewing the proposal, the Selection Committee recommends contracting with Gary Lee of Stockton, CA for a five-year term, not to exceed $144,000 (Attachment A - Canine Police Training Professional Services Agreement - Gary Lee).
DISCUSSION
Background
The City of Stockton Police Department has one of the nation’s oldest standing police canine programs, staffed since the 1950’s. The Canine Unit currently runs a team of 12 canine-officer partners throughout the 24/7 shift schedule. Historically, the Canine Unit has proven itself invaluable to not only the officers they work along-side, but the community they serve.
The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) recommends a minimum of 16-hours of training each month, which is accomplished through two ten-hour training days with the Canine Team and Trainer. Proper training, assessment, and annual certification of canines is critical to continued program success, as is finding a trainer who best meets the needs of the Department.
The canines are primarily used to supplement police operations in the apprehension of criminal offenders. They are deployed daily, as a tool to be put in harm’s way so that an officer is not. They are used to search buildings for potential burglars and property thieves. They are extremely effective for crowd control at large out-of-control and violent parties and areas of riotous behavior. The mere presence of a Police Canine is typically enough to diffuse potentially violent situations. Often the threat of pursuit by a Police Canine convinces criminals that it would be better to give up and avoid potential injury to themselves.
In 2017, the Stockton Police Canines were used approximately 860 times. The Canine Unit assisted in 239 felony arrests and 52 misdemeanor arrests, 13 of which involved the canines contacting an individual that was actively and physically resisting the efforts of officers to take them into custody.
In addition to its primary function, the Canine Unit is used regularly as a public relations tool. The canines compete at canine trials showing off their abilities, as well as putting on many canine demonstrations for local charities and schools. This aspect alone makes the Canine Unit an invaluable resource for the Police Department with respect to public relations.
Present Situation
The existing contract expires on August 31, 2018. The RFP was publicly advertised on March 31, 2018, and April 1, 2018, in the Legal Notice section of The Record, posted on the City’s Bid Flash website, and directly e-mailed to six potential vendors. The sole response received was from Gary Lee.
The Selection Committee, consisting of members from the Police Department’s Field Operations and Fiscal Affairs Sections, reviewed the proposal. The Selection Committee recommends contracting with Gary Lee, for a five-year term.
Gary Lee has been working with the Stockton Police Department since 2003. He has been working and training police canines since 1981 as either a handler for the Manteca Police Department, or a supervisor and trainer for the Manteca Police Department. Gary Lee has a vast amount of experience and knowledge on canine training, how they work, should be deployed, and how to manage liability to the City. He sat on the first POST board to set up minimum standards and training requirements for canines. Additionally, he taught the first training class for canine evaluators when the minimum standards were put into effect.
Gary Lee is extremely progressive in his method of training and is constantly updating and changing with new training techniques and societal standards.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The annual cost of the contract is $28,800. Funding for this Agreement, in the amount of $28,800, will be included in the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 annual budget proposal to Council in the General Fund Police Department Patrol Account number 010-2422-530. Future Agreement costs for the subsequent years will be budgeted in the same account and subject to Council approval during the annual budget development process. The total not-to-exceed cost of this contract over a period of five years is set at $144,000.
Attachment A - Canine Police Training Professional Services Agreement - Gary Lee